New Plymouth Argyle manager Peter Reid will continue to hunt for new talent – even though he has been told he must trim the playing ranks at Home Park.

Club chairman Sir Roy Gardner admitted on Monday that the Pilgrims currently have too many professionals on their wagebill, and that Reid must trim that figure following the club's relegation from the Championship.

During the summer break, a number of Argyle players have been linked with moves away from Home Park, but so far Jamie Mackie has been the only player to be sold.

Reid expects that to change in the coming days and weeks, starting with the likely exit of midfielder Simon Walton.

The 22-year-old has made only 14 appearances for the Greens since signing from Queen's Park Rangers in 2008, and spent much of last season on loan to Crewe Alexandra.

Reid said: "He [Walton] has intimated that he'd like to go on to other pastures. Over the next day or so something might be happening, but I can't say anything else at the moment."

With Walton's exit seemingly imminent, Reid will continue to scrutinise the remainder of his squad during the pre-season programme.

The former England international is well aware that other squad members have indicated their desire to follow a similar path to that of Walton, but, with Reid willing to give every player a "clean slate", such talk has died down, for a while at least.

Reid added: "We had a meeting and I said to the lads if anyone wants to come and see me for any reason, my office door is always open. I haven't seen anybody yet, so everyone must be happy, but I'm sure I'll see someone in the next couple of weeks."

Although one of the directives put to Reid is to slash the current wagebill, it has not stopped the experienced manager from taking a look at a selection of potential new faces.

Reporting on the training ground this week have been a handful of trialists, two of whom Argyle have already named. Both players are from the United States, and left Premiership side Everton at the end of last season.

Anton Peterlin is a 23-year- old midfielder who hails from San Francisco, California. He played for semi-professional clubs in his home city and also thrived in US college soccer, before being recommended to Everton.

Peterlin signed a one-year contract with the Merseyside club a year ago, and went on to make 11 appearances for the Toffees' reserve team last season. His mother is from Denmark and he holds dual US- Danish citizenship, which means that he has no need of a UK work permit to play professional football in England.

Cody Arnoux, 22, is a striker from New York state. He played college and semi-professional soccer in North Carolina before joining Everton last summer, also on a one-year deal. He played seven times for the Toffees' second XI last term.

Arnoux has an Italian passport and he shares an agent – California-based Graham Smith – with Peterlin.

It has not been a good year for the last American to appear for Argyle, however. USA international striker Kenny Cooper, who was rarely picked to play first-team football by the Pilgrims after arriving on loan from TSV 1860 Munich in January, broke a bone in an ankle on Thursday.

The injury happened during his first training session back with his club in Germany, and it has put a stop to a proposed transfer to his previous club, Major League Soccer outfit FC Dallas. He is expected to be out of action for three months.

Remarking on the prospect of bringing in new faces to Plymouth, Reid added: "Paul [Mariner], John [Carver] and I have had a chat and there are a couple of areas we have identified where we need to bring players in.

"I can't say where at the moment, because there are players involved, but we would like to get a few more in."

Comments

we have to many professionals what a joke if they were any good we wouldnt be here today struggling before we start just ditch the scotish wannabees and get some decent talent in we seem to put on loan any good players we had no wonder you got low ticket sales you got a good manager now, so to the board back him up and give peter reid the tools for the job he needs to do the job and dont lose this manager because of lack of support

Steve, Millbay: What a ridiculous comment! Why on earth would the board want us to stay in League 1? There is nothing to be gained from that.
The board have appointed a good Manager and retained two good coaches. If you claim to be fans then get behind the club, this includes supporting the board, management and team!